I recently completed a clinical trial at NIH because of an adrenal nodule. I also have hyperplasia of both adrenals.

Turns out I have primary hyperaldosteronism (which had previously been diagnosed) as well as elevated cortisol. I was told I don’t have Cushings but could develop it. Yet I do have unbelievably excessive sweating and have just begun to develop what I assume to be a buffalo hump–a lump at the top of my spine between my shoulders that is hard to the touch and painful.

My ability to handle stress is nearly nil; I sleep upward of twelve hours and more a day and yet get exhausted doing the littlest things. I’ve lost a lot of weight over the past two years because of nearly daily diarrhea–which I now believe may be caused by a deteriorating liver as I also have Heptatis C–and yet I have a fatty paunch which is beginning to show stretch marks I didn’t know I had.

My skin heals poorly and bruises very easily. I have splotchy skin, i..e, dark patches and totally pigment-less patches on my face. I was told my hypothalamus produces too much CRH which, in turn, triggers the ACTH to produce too much cortisol.

With two, possibly three, chronic conditions, I am beginning to worry about returning to work after my medical leave of absence ends this January.

I was on the pheochromocytoma support board until my diagnosis, and I know how helpful it was to have a group to turn to. I’m glad to see this one looks like a similarly supportive and informative group.

Hi there, I am 26 but I was diagnosed at the age of 16 with a pituitary tumor, 17 when I had removed the first time and 19 the seconded time.

Here is the story. I was pregnant at 15 and gave birth at 16. My son was born in June (I was 135 lbs) by December I was 240lbs. I had all the classis symptoms. Weight gain, thin skin, upper back hump, moon face, lack of a menstrual cycle, high cholesterol and the strata (all over stretch marks).

I was diagnosed in March in July (1999) since I live near Pittsburgh I had surgery with one of the doctors who developed the use of the Endoscope for removal of pituitary tumors. I had been told that the tumor would not come back. It was fine to have more kids. There was one in a billion chance that it would be a tumor that grows like cancer, and then there was a one in a million chance that there would be any of the tumor left behind that could grow back. A

fter words I lost most of the weight and the moon face. I had no need for hormones, because they only remove part of my pituitary, I also graduated high school and was married.

I felt very good when I gave birth to my 2nd son 22 months later (April 01). I was 160lbs. Well, I tried to ignore the weight gain, the lack of menstrual cycle, but when my hump started to come back and when in infant’s finger nail scratched me and I bleed, I self diagnosed this time and went to the doctor for confirmation.

I was 280lbs when I went in for the second time in November (2001). Now I am 90% sure there is a tumor up there I do not know I do not want to have a M I R to see. My husband and I will not have any more kids.

I still have a fear that it will come back on its on or if I suffer a body troma that causes the pituitary to enlarge that it will cause the tumor to grow and I will have to go through this again. I am still struggling to lose this weight. I am now 230

I started having issues in my 30’s. I noticed my skin getting splotchy and my periods became horribly painful and irregular. I had migraines and started gaining weight. I went to my doctor who said I was just getting older (again 30ish). The weight kept creeping on, the periods got worse. Again I asked my doctor , again it’s part of aging. This went on for years. I finally changed doctors and ended up with a hysterectomy, the doctor assured me this would fix things. It didn’t.

A year after the hysterectomy I get my first ambulance ride from my doctors office to the ER. They thought it was my appendix . The ER found nothing so they sent me home. I have sever nausea I , body shaking chills and sever side pains. They sent me to a gastroenterologist who ran tons of test and found nothing. BUT as they were reviewing my latest test results by phone the mentioned that my adrenal cyst hadn’t grown any. I said what adrenal cyst? They said throne that was in the ER report. This had never been disclosed to me. They referred me to a urologist? I skipped the urologist and looked for a endocrinologist. My symptoms had multiplied in this time. I now had a fuzzy face, fuzzy vision, more weight and stomach tenderness to the point it hurt to wear some clothes.

I saw my endocrinologist and he ran a ton of test and came back with Cushings. I just finished my second MRI, this time they are looking for a pituitary tumor. I am waiting for results to see if I have the pituitary issue as well as the adrenal gland cyst. Apparently my adrenal cyst was large enough to cause cancer concerns , but luckily doesn’t act like cancer. Happy that! I am now in my 40’s and it has taken eight years to get a diagnosis or someone to take me seriously! So don’t take NO for an answer!

Hello Cushing’s world! My names is Chelsea. I’m 23, female and waiting for a possible Cushing’s diagnosis. I’m trying to see if anyone has a similar story to mine? I’ve had a hard time finding people in my age bracket with similar symptoms or test results.

Up until I was 21, I was 110 pounds soaking wet. I’m 5’3 and have always been extremely active. I was on the USTA junior tennis circuit for 15 years and then started coaching when I was in college. I also was always on a high protein, low card diet for the majority of my life.

I also went on birth control at age 13 and stayed on it until I was 20. The first 6 months off of birth control, I never had a period but I assumed it was normal after being on the pill for so long so I didn’t worry about it.

Then, about 3 and half years ago, roughly six months after I turned 20, I gained 45 pounds in a matter of 5 months. Completely unexplained when, at the time I was coaching a JV tennis team and in kickboxing class twice a week. Obviously I was utterly shocked and disappointed. I started trying to lose the weight. I cut down from 1500 calories a day to 1200 and amped up my cardio routine.

My period had come back, but I started noticing that it would always come about 8-10 days after I expected it to come. Again, I assumed my body was just getting back into the swing of things after going off the pill.

During all of this, it was time for my yearly physical with my GP. I went to the appointment, had weight and height taken, and was ready to discuss with him the weight problem I got in what seemed like overnight. After walking him through my diet and exercise routine and mentioning my period irregularity, he simply insinuated that I was probable a closet over eater and said “Just eat more celery”.

Still to this day I can not look at celery without my blood boiling. He also said that once I lose the weight, my periods will get normal. Ok. I’m 20 at the time and a little naïve in my thinking that, “he’s the doctor, he must be right”. So I pressed on in my quest to lose the weight. To no avail. Instead, every Wednesday when I stepped on the scale, it showed that I had gained a pound of two.

At this point I’m weighing in at 158. Not grossly overweight but also not a healthy BMI. I also started noticing that my once long, strong jaw line was turning into mush and seriously thought I needed a chin implant. Then I noticed that I was starting to oddly resemble a linebacker. The fat on my back between my shoulders came out of no where. I have worn a scarf almost every day since to hide it. I also noticed that, while the sleeves in my shirts were fitting fine, my pants were not buttoning and I could no longer wear my mid-drift bearing tops without looking at myself and crying.

The depression began to set in. I had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder at 18 due to boughts of depression followed by highly elevated mood, never quite reaching mania. Also, I was anxious 24/7. I never took antidepressants. Only a mild mood stabilizer and still do to this day. It is the only medication I’m on.

Back to age 20, the next thing I noticed was that I could no longer bear going to school, coaching tennis, and working part time. It was everything I could do to just get out of bed. My back ached, my knees ached, and I was not even recognizing myself in the mirror. As my mother puts it, I started looking like I was stung my a thousand bees rather than putting on weight.

It was about this time, age 21 that I had skin problems. So I went to the dermatologist who diagnosed me with mild eczema on my elbows and tops of my hands. But it hurt. I couldn’t and still can’t stand for my hands to come in contact with anything hotter than warm bath water.

It then came time for my annual gyno appointment. Again, I rehashed everything I had been feeling and noticing and again, I was told it was just “life stress” and to “learn to relax and work hard to lose the weight”. So again, I left feeling like it was all in my head. The next few months is when I started noticing that I was not functioning like I used to. The comment I often made to my mom was ” I just feel like I’m on autopilot all day. Everything seems so hazy.” She began thinking I may have a thyroid problem.

SO I made another appointment with my GP and brought her with me. He adamantly insisted it was in my head and would not order blood work. Again, I left feeling like this was all my fault. A few months later, I accepted a job after graduation and moved to Boston. This is when I first noticed the disgusting black mustache that had taken up residence above my upper lip. I began having to shave it every day and decided well this must have something to do with my period problem, that was still coming farther and farther apart every couple of cycles. Again, more weight gain.

Finally, I hired a personal trainer and nutritionist. I met with the trainer twice a week and the nutritionist once a week. I kept up with this regime for about 11 months. I lost a grand total of…… four pounds. I was defeated to say the least.

During those 10 months I noticed that my vision was so blurry. Every day all day, it was slightly fuzzy but there would be instances where it would get so bad, I could no longer read my phone. I had been diagnosed with refractive amblyopia when I was 5 ( a non-wandering lazy eye) but I had never had blurry vision before. I decided to find a GP in Boston and made an appointment.

I yet again, went through my whole list of symptoms that I had been gradually wracking up over the last two years and again, heard “you need to just try harder to get the weight off and then everything will go back to normal”. UGH. I thought by choosing a female doctor this time that I’d hear something at least a little more hopeful. But no.

A few months later, I took a job with a great company and relocated to Houston. It was this time last year and I had completely missed a period. 84 days with no period. I decided to get serious. I starting tracking my cycle and recording my weight. I met with another GP. Again, I heard, you need to lose the weight. I was done. I resolved that this must be how I was going to spend my life. Fat, achy, depressed, most probably infertile, and going through life in a haze. However, I kept tracking my periods just so I’d get an idea of when to expect them.

Then, in October of 2015, I accepted a dream promotion and relocated to Seattle. I had started having hot flashes in Houston but guessed that it had to just be that Texas heat. However, they continued in Seattle. I was still living life with the sense that maybe all people feel like me. Maybe all people have aches and pains and can’t muster up the energy to do tasks as simple and mundane as cleaning the coffee pot.

Then, I went home over Christmas where I experienced the three most awful hot flashes of my life. My whole body started tingling, I felt like I was being held up to a fire. I resolved then and there that when I got back to Seattle, I was making a gyno appointment and I was not going to leave that office until the doctor thoroughly listened to me and blood work was ordered. I had a “don’t take no for an answer attitude”.

Luckily, by God’s grace I presume, I didn’t need that attitude. My new gyno is now my hero. Immediately after I went through the last three years of my symptoms, he sent me for blood work. He was thinking PCOS or a thyroid problem. Maybe both. A week went by and I never heard from him. He had said he’d call in two days. Finally, after I called the office about 5 times, he called and said he was sorry to keep me in suspense but that he had never seen blood work like mine. He was expecting to see either my thyroid levels elevated or my testosterone/androgen elevate. Instead, those were all in normal range. What wasn’t in normal range was my moderately elevated Prolactin level and my “through the roof” DHEA level. He had consulted four other doctors who were all just as puzzled as he was and recommended he refer me to a medical endo.

In the meantime, I had made an appointment with a new GP. I went to that appointment two days after my gyno called with my test results. I didn’t mention that conversation with my new GP. I wanted to see what her opinion was when I presented her with my symptoms and test results. She too thought PCOS with symptoms but when she looked at my blood work said ” I have no idea but something is not right”. SCORE! I couldn’t have been happier.

After years of feeling crazy and lazy and defeated, I had validation that my body was working against me. She didn’t come out and say “I believe you have Cushing’s” but she did say “When you see the endo, please ask him about Cushing’s”. My guess is, she didn’t want to make that kind of diagnosis. I got my referral to endo and called to make the appointment, it’s for next week. And I found out my gyno had written “possible Cushing’s?” on my referral. So now I’m anxiously awaiting my endo consultation. His assistant called yesterday and asked why no one had order a pituitary MRI yet. I told her that these were the first two doctors out of 7 that I have seen in the past two years who ever even believed something was wrong. She decided we should do the consultation and go from there. Weird to say, but I really hope it is a cut and dry endocrine issue. Then I’d have a real answer. So now, I’m at 173 pounds, 5’3, (obese as I have been told by several non Seattle physicians), with stage 1 hypertension and a multitude of symptoms that I hope are all linked together.

If anyone has had a similar experience, please reach out. I know this is different for every patient but any kind of similarity will be welcomed while I anxiously await the endo appointment next week.

High schoolvl senior, I was finally diagnosed with Cushing’s Disease. Extreme leg pain, rapid heart rate and overall sick feeling drove this 17 year old nuts. Huge moonface, buffalo hump and torn skin on torso, stomach, thighs and arms did not help.

By the Grace of God, a brilliant pediatric endocrinologist found me and sent me to UCSF for transphenodal surgery. There, other genius pediatric physicians gawked at my monster appearance. The famous Dr. Charles Wilson went into action.

Six years later, my tumor grew back with a vengeance. My cortisol levels reached 3000 as a ferocious candida infection spread all over my body.

My second operation was followed with radiation treatments. I lost my baby shortly thereafter. Years later, childless and fatigued, I was informed that the radiation therapy caused the remainder of my pituitary gland to disintegrate.

I now have secondary Addison’s disease and nearly died one month ago from an acute adrenal crisis. I am lucky to be alive…..swollen and all.

My real search for a diagnosis began vigilantly just over 2 years ago. I was extremely hot,exhausted,weight gain (unexplained) and not sleeping well and sleeping all the time but extremely fatigued!!! My face became very round and my facial & body skin was a nightmare.

My husband kept saying that he thought it was systemic but I wasn’t sure. And, this sounds so sill but completely true, I was watching an episode of Doc Martin (UK series) where a woman was having trouble and he told her she had Cushings. Well, I had never heard of this disease so I looked it up on the internet and told my husband that’s what I have. Of course, he said that I was being silly.

I had very upset stomach most of the time to I had an endoscopy & colonoscopy where large cysts had developed. I also had burning and nagging pain in my upper thigh area thinking it was my Lymph nodes. Many more cysts were discovered on my ovaries and all the doctors cold focus on were the cysts and telling me that my blood pressure was too high and that I needed to lose weight.

I few months later I noticed small purple striations on my abdomen and just knew I had Cushings. So, I asked my doctor if he could run cortisol test on me and he said no problem. I had also told him at this time that I was using a steroid cream to control my eczema and he said that would not cause not effect me in such a way to cause such problems.

I had beeen to the emergency room, had 4 CT scans, atleast 7 ultrasounds, 2 MRI’s and so many blood tests that I had lost count.

Another doctor had recommended that I see an Oncologist so I saw 2 of them…..still no idea and 2 more visits to the emergency room.

I sent all my files and tests to the best Endocrinologist I could find and still had to wait 6 months for an initial appointment.

During the 6 months of waiting to see my Endocrinologist, my body had taken a severe turn for the worse. I could barely step up onto a curb and would spend 3 weeks straight in a bed.

I was extremely depressed and felt like I was dying!!!

April of 2014 my long awaited appointment to see THE BEST ENDOCRINOLOGIST in the state finally came!!!!! He took one look at me and said you have Cushings without a doubt!!!! he saw all the other files and tests that the other doctors had done and said they all did the same exact tests and have absolutley no idea what they are doing.

This is the best doctor I have ever been to see in my entire life, he spent over 1 hour with my during my first evaluation. (Please know,that he is not even covered by my insurance but I didn’t care……shelled out $510 and it saved my life.)

He would stop asking me questions until he got to the root of what was causing the Cushings. And it was the cream that I was using to control my eczema!!!!!!! Yes, please know that Cobetasol Proprionate will cause Cushings if used on a long term basis.

I had no warnings or instructions from my Dermatologist. He just said use this on your eczema.

Dr. Neil Breit saved my life!!!! He said that I was hands down, the worse case he had ever seen!!! And he said that I would have definitely been dead in 1 or 2years at best.

If you live in the Northeast, please seek out this doctor. He is the best and very passionate & loves his work. He truly cares and brings lots of smiles with his treatment!!!!j

Dr. Breit still spends 1 hour with me on every office there. And I still pay full price but do not mind, because he saved my life!!!

Also, right before my diagnosis, I discovered GERSON THERAPY. Regardless of whatever is wrong or just being healthy, juicing helps me immensely with energy and just feeling better as a whole!!!

Thank you for enduring my long story!!!!! Keep fighting for your diagnosis and don’t stop till you get one!!!

DR. JEFFREY MILLER, FOR THE INQUIRER

By the time A.A. arrived in my office, she had spent almost a year looking for answers.

In November 2012, she was 45 and struggling to lose weight and keep her blood pressure down. What sounds like a common scenario, however, was anything but.

A.A. was experiencing fatigue and malaise, and the area around her eyes bruised easily. Another puzzling symptom: She said she was acutely aware of her neck. It wasn’t pain, but awareness. She was losing more hair than usual in her brush and had stopped menstruating, and her skin broke open easily. Her primary-care physician thought it was early menopause.

She asked family and friends, but no one had such symptoms at menopause. She was increasingly self-conscious as she gained weight. Her primary-care provider referred her to an OB/GYN, and a variety of tests came back normal, including a pap, thyroid, female hormones, and a transvaginal ultrasound.

Worst of all, A.A. struggled emotionally. She felt as though she were in a constant state of agitation, with depression and anxiety. A.A.’s symptoms slowly took over her life. She was becoming a person she hardly recognized.

In July, she ran into a friend who was a nurse. Noticing the puffiness of her face, the nurse asked A.A. whether she was on prednisone. Learning she wasn’t, the nurse suggested A.A. might have Cushing’s syndrome, which results from too much cortisol in the body for long periods. It can be caused by taking a corticosteroid, like prednisone, or by something inside the body signaling the adrenal glands to produce too much of the hormone.

A visit to an endocrinologist confirmed the diagnosis after a 24-hour urine-cortisol test, and an MRI appeared to reveal a small adenoma on the pituitary gland. The endocrinologist referred her to Jefferson to see a surgeon.

Although she was not looking forward to brain surgery, A.A. was relieved to have an answer.

But neurosurgeon James Evans, Jefferson’s director of pituitary surgery, did not think the Cushing’s was caused by the pituitary adenoma. He ordered an additional MRI and blood work, which confirmed his hunch, and he referred her to Jefferson Endocrinology for further detective work.

Solution

When A.A. walked into my office, she was extremely stressed and exhausted. I ordered a chest CT, which revealed a nodule. But it did not fluoresce during a nuclear medicine test, as it likely would have had it been causing the Cushing’s. Next up was a series of scans, but all came back clear.

I still felt the tumor should come out and referred her to cardiothoracic surgeon Scott Cowan.

Three days after surgery to remove one lobe of her lung and the tumor, A.A.’s face already was noticeably slimmer.

Her Cushing’s was caused by a carcinoid tumor the size of a pencil eraser in her lung. The tumor – although not large enough to fluoresce during testing – had been signaling her adrenal glands, which produced enough cortisol, the fight-or-flight hormone, for 24 people.

Cushing’s accounted for all her physical and emotional symptoms. The syndrome can be missed because it mimics obesity in many ways.

With the tumor out, her adrenal glands would effectively go to sleep. She’d need prednisone, which would slowly be tapered over the next year. Fortunately, A.A.’s lymph nodes were clear, and she did not need radiation or chemotherapy.